Attack on Giant Monsters
by Hikaru7
Summary: The year is 845. Humanity celebrates the hundred years of peace and harmony behind the walls of their Fortress. However, the era of prosperity comes to an end when the Giant Monsters launch an unexpected attack on the Fortress. Eren is dreaming of joining the Explorers in order to see the Outside World with his own eyes, and to encounter the creatures feared as humanity's enemies.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: A Tale To You, Living Behind The Wall…**

**Human Or Monster?**

His back touched soft, white fur as he snuggled up against his companion. It was warm and comfortable. And safe. Even as he could hear the beating of iron hoofs against the ground, he knew that inside the den, there was nothing to fear. With him, he was protected.

Shouts and roars rang out in the forest, then at long last, they died down. The iron hoofs retreated. Whoever's victory it was, it couldn't be told. Whenever _they_ came, they never ventured out from the safety of their hiding place. He had told him it was dangerous.

"A tale!" he cried, daring to raise his voice once again.

"A tail indeed," his companion told him, moving his razor-like tail out of the small creature's reach. "Your skill of observation improves by the day. Mind you, my tail is rather sharp, so you'd better not touch it."

"No, a story."

"You want to hear a story, huh. What are you curious about?"

"Them," he replied.

"Fine," his companion said with a resigned sigh. "A story about humanity."

And so he was told a story about cruel beings, who treated his own kind as slaves, bringing about terrible destruction in the world they shared. He was told about wars fought for meaningless, foolish reasons: for the pursuit of even greater power, devouring whatever came in their way.

But he also learned about the Nameless Hero, who emerged from among his kind, gifted with a mysterious power that turned the endless wars around into their favour. What small number remained of humanity was driven back behind fortified walls, and his kind became feared for what they called the 'Giant Monsters'.

The world was divided: humanity lived inside the Fortress, and his kind dwelled outside in the Wilderness. However, peace did not rule for long, for there were humans who left the confines of the Walls, and kept returning to disturb their everyday lives outside. From time to time, a legion of men would come, riding iron-clad beasts – creatures belonging to his kind, but tamed by the humans, not even aware anymore of the humiliation of being used as mere tools.

He was told to fear and despise humans. Still, his young mind was curious to learn more about them, who lived behind walls, who appeared so terrible in the tales, as if they were heartless monsters. But his own naïve heart wanted to believe otherwise.

He didn't know at that time, that when he hatched from the dragon's egg, he was born for a purpose: to bring hope that the world could be restored to its former state, so that humanity and his own kind could share it again in peace and harmony. But for that purpose, he had to know the ones who were called his 'enemy'. He had to go out, and meet them someday…

"Did my tale bore you so much that you've fallen asleep on me, brat?" his companion asked in mild irritation.

He was awake, only trying to make his immature mind think about what he was told, and what remained untold, but it was like chasing butterflies by the riverside. Colourful images swept before his mind's eye, too swiftly for him to grasp or understand their full meaning. Of one thing, however, he felt absolutely certain.

"I want to see the Wall," he stated firmly.

"Well, that's a rather foolish request."

"Show me the Wall," he insisted, in spite of the rebuke he received.

"What a wilful little rogue you are," his companion chided him. "Fine. One day, I'll take you to the Wall," he promised, giving him a gentle nudge. "Once you finally grow proper limbs of your own. I can't carry you around the way you're now."

As he lay back in his comfortable place, he realized that the soft white fur was stained crimson. Slowly, he began to understand why, and it made him sad.

He never wanted to hurt anyone. He never wanted to be seen as a monster. Young as he was, he had already resolved as much.


	2. Dreams

**Those Who Keep Chasing Dreams**

**The Outsider & The Outside**

Beneath him lay a land he recognized – the only land he had ever known, divided by the concentric circles of the three walls. Small parcels of cultivated earth, small patches of green forests, small houses with tiny windows and doors – even the grand castles of the inner district looked like toys placed on some vast tapestry, which kept on stretching far into a world unknown to him. Like the unmapped landscape it was, the outside appeared to his eyes as nothing more than blank space, shrouded in darkness from where the outermost wall marked out the boundary, enclosing him in a narrow world.

Yet, as he floated above that world, looking down upon it from the perspective of a bird, the sensation of flying filled him with a sense he had never experienced before.

_Freedom._

He was caught up in that unknown feeling, soaring higher and higher, until he experienced a sudden jolt, as if thunder had struck him, and he found himself dragged down towards the earth once again.

_Terror._

From the darkness surrounding the outside of the walls, a hand appeared, much larger than his own, and rested on top of the outermost wall – the wall which had been built strong and tall, but to him looked as fragile as if put together from a child's building blocks. That was when realization came to him like another lightning strike: humanity's last shelter was nothing more than a toy fortress, populated by dolls whose heads were filled with straw, whose chests were empty of a heart, and whose boastful words masked cowardice. They lived ignorant, they lived uncaring, and were content with such a life. But he felt something different.

_Anger._

He saw a room bright and luxurious – one he had never seen before. Discarded dolls lay around on the floor, as if soldiers lying dead on the battlefield. They would not stand up again – their will to fight had been broken. They never really wanted to fight in the first place, not that kind of battle – not against 'them'. He could hear the small voices of the lost ones, lamenting the choice they had made. There was no glory for the dead, who could never return to their homes, to the ones who once loved them. Their feelings were bitter.

_Regret._

Enclosed by a golden frame, a girl was combing her long hair, startled violet eyes looking directly into his own – was he the mirror, or was he the girl? She looked slightly familiar, although he had never seen her before. Her lips moved to form a word, but he only understood what her eyes spoke to him.

_Sorrow._

The girl held out the pendant resting on her chest, the pale orb resembling the full moon. It grew larger and larger, a veil of darkness eating it up until it diminished into a crescent. A scream sounded, like an echo coming from the depths of a dark well – was he the one inside, screaming? Cold walls surrounded him on all sides, enclosing him in a dark void, suffocating him, leaving him with only one thought.

_Despair._

* * *

His eyes fluttered open to sunrays filtering through rustling leaves. He could feel heaviness on his chest, and wetness on his face. Was it raining? Where was he? Whose shadow was looming over him?

"Eren. It's getting late. We should head back home." A girl's voice. He didn't know why, but he expected something different. What was it again? He could not remember.

'_Were you sleeping out again, brat?'_ A different voice. _'You should come back inside the den. 'They' are coming out soon.'_

Eren jolted up, something grey and furry jumping and disappearing behind the figure who was kneeling beside him. Rubbing the haziness from his eyes, Eren saw that it was his sister Mikasa, a large heap of firewood fastened to the carrier on her back. From the top of the piled-up wood, a pair of round purple eyes looked down on him, while another, identical pair was peering out from behind Mikasa.

"Was Hans helping you out with the firewood?" Eren asked through a yawn, looking up at the small grey creature sitting on the pile.

"That one is Greta," Mikasa told him, her voice muffled by the deep red scarf pulled over her mouth. The only thing Eren could see from her pale face was the dark of her eyes, and the look in them told him that she must be quite angry. "We girls did all the work, while you boys were slacking off."

Hearing the reprimand, Eren hunched his shoulders sheepishly, while the small creature beside the girl began to curl into a ball of grey fur, looking like a sullen kitten. Eren looked around himself, not wanting to believe that he had failed to get any work done. His own pile of wood lay scattered beside the tree he had been lying beneath in sleep, and looking at one hand, he realized that he was holding onto a bunch of violet flowers. He must have gathered them earlier on the meadow. All evidence served to underline his sister's statement, and he was feeling bad about that, but he just couldn't remember how he ended up falling asleep.

"Somehow... I feel like I had the weirdest of dreams..." he mumbled as he got onto his feet, not really wanting to accept Mikasa's help. It wasn't really unusual for him to have dreams that left him confused once he woke up from them, but each time, he would find it difficult to recall what they were about.

"Don't go to sleep in the open like that," Mikasa told him as she gathered up the meagre amount of firewood Eren had collected, fastening the bunch to the boy's carrier and helping it onto his back. "It's getting cold. If you get stuck in a long dream, you might end up dead."

"Geez, thanks." Eren was often taken aback by the harsh things his sister would say while keeping such a straight face. He thought it was stupid of her to worry about him to such an extent.

"These kind of things do happen, you know," Mikasa continued as they walked through the meadows, towards the houses at the town's edge. "That's why you should keep the wing on you all the time. If you lost it, you should ask Father to give you another."

"Who believes in such tales?" Eren snorted indignantly. "I'm not a kid anymore, so I don't need to keep such a childish thing as the wing. I'm not afraid of the dark, or the bad dreams."

"You're just trying to act brave. When you woke up just now, you were crying."

"I weren't!" Eren denied, although now he began to understand why he could feel his face wet: those were tears.

"Were you having _that_ dream again?" Mikasa asked in a soft, quiet voice as they entered among the buildings of the town.

"I can't remember," Eren replied evasively, not wanting to admit that it was something that stirred him up in a way he could not understand. The images in his dream were fleeting, but the emotions stayed inside his chest, making him feel almost as if he were really sick. But he didn't want to admit that. He didn't want to seem weak. He didn't want to seem mad.

They arrived at the town square, with the market at the side and the fountain in the middle. A group of soldiers belonging to the division of the Rangers were loitering around with their water-type partners.

"Don't tell Father," Eren quickly said to Mikasa, knowing the girl's habit of telling on him, "that I'm having those dreams again..."

"What kind of dreams, kiddo?" A soldier from the Rangers walked out unexpectedly from an alley, approaching them with rather wobbly steps. He leaned down to have a closer look at Eren, a wide grin spreading on his face. "Don't tell me you're becoming a man already, little Eren?"

"It's none of your business, you stinky old geezer!" Eren told him, covering his nose against the stench of booze coming from the man. The soldier only laughed off the insult, which only made Eren glare at him even harder. "Are you guys neglecting your duties again?"

Eren had known the man since he was a small child. His name was Hannes, and since he was wearing the red uniform of the Rangers, with the crest showing two rose-heads, his job was supposed to be to keep watch on the Walls, but most of the time, Eren would see him and his group lazing around on the square, drinking and playing cards. That day was no exception, either. The only difference was that the man looked even more drunk than usual.

"Tomorrow's the day of the centenary," Hannes reminded them with a carefree air. "What's wrong with some early celebration?"

"Yo, Eren! Care to join us?" one of the Rangers sitting at the fountain called to them, holding a large mug in his hand, his companion, a round mouse-like creature, laying sprawled at his feet, strange-coloured bubbles escaping its mouth at each hiccup.

"What?" Eren stared in wide-eyed astonishment and indignation as he noticed Hannes's own partner teetering about, the shell in his small hand filled with something that could only be red wine. "Even your creatures are drunk?"

"They can't live on water all the time," Hannes gave a good-humoured chuckle, his face flushed. Eren could feel his own head becoming red with rage.

"So you're not only slacking off during watch, but you're also low enough to drag your partners down to your own level," Eren said, unable to hold back his displeasure at the sight. "You're all really the worst!"

Hannes only blinked back at him, as if not understanding why it would make the boy so upset. Eren could feel something creeping up from the pits of his stomach. It was burning his throat so bad that tears were beginning to form in his eyes again. He turned and wiped his face on his sleeve.

"Come now, why don't you kids just sit with us soldiers, and play some cards?" Hannes said in a soothing voice, his hand falling on Eren's head to pat it gently. "Cheers one up and helps pass the time..."

"I'm not a kid!" Eren spat at him, slapping away the soldier's hand. He spun around, facing the much taller man again. His tears were already dried up by the anger that burned in his eyes. "And you're not a soldier! You're not even ready to fight!"

"Nope," Hannes replied after a sigh, then made a gesture behind the two children. "It's been already a hundred years since those walls stand tall and sturdy. They don't even need much maintenance. And as for the monsters lurking around outside, Umimaru and I have seen plenty of them before from atop the wall, so you can believe me when I tell you that none of them can make even as much as a scratch on this mighty construction."

His confidence wasn't enough to dissolve the sense of bad premonition Eren was feeling.

"Look around, Eren," Hannes continued, now pointing out the busy marketplace. Stalls were set up, selling all kinds of meat, fruits and vegetables. "Humanity is prospering within the Fortress. We have plenty of resources, we managed to domesticate many of the creatures living inside, and so people are content."

He bent down to pick up his partner Umimaru, the otter-like creature, who beamed on the children, two sharp teeth showing from his mouth. Other than that, he looked completely harmless. Like a wind-up toy that happened to move and make noises. Something about the thought made Eren feel uneasy. He was beginning to remember fragments of his dream, about the toys scattered on the floor. Many of them looked like such creatures. Because of the foolishness of humanity, were they doomed to share the same fate, too?

"These walls allow us to live a peaceful life," Hannes continued. "And I can see no reason why fear should play a part in it."

"That stupid way of thinking is exactly what makes humanity look no better than cattle!" Eren burst out. "Only animals are ignorant enough to be content, even when led to the slaughterhouse! Would you still feel that way, once they broke down the walls and came in?"

The volume of his voice made a couple of heads turn towards their direction, a look of shock and disapproval forming on the faces, as if he had just broken some taboo. And in fact, he had done just that: no-one inside the Fortress was allowed to express displeasure with the way of life that was granted to the citizens. Questioning the endurance of the Walls equalled questioning the stability of the Royal Government itself, and whoever dared to voice their thoughts in such a manner would be considered an heretic. Or even worse...

Eren could feel the eyes of the people on him, their gazes stamping into his flesh. He could hear their whispering voices, their words kindling the flames inside his chest. He could imagine their mouths curling up in a mocking sneer as they talked about him, as if he weren't even there. As if he weren't even someone deserved to be treated as a human being...

"_Isn't that the Jägers' boy?"_

"_Poor Carla, I always felt sorry for her..."_

"_Even though his father is a doctor..."_

"_Well, there's a sickness even Dr Jäger can't cure."_

"_But for his only son to end up like that..."_

"_Delusional."_

"_Mad."_

Eren's hands clenched into fists, the flowers he was holding onto squeezed tight. Hans popped his head out from the hood of his cloak.

'_Should we wipe them?'_ the small creature's voice sounded in an eerie whisper in his ear. _'Paint them red?'_

Eren's lips quivered slightly, before they moved to form silent words. Just then, he could feel a tug at his sleeve, dragging him out of the swamp of his dark thoughts, before those could swallow him in whole.

"Eren. Stop it," Mikasa said, sharp warning in her voice. "Let's go home."

She gave a nod to the Rangers before she began to walk away, not letting go of Eren as she led him towards an alley, intending to bring him as far away from the harsh tongues and prying eyes as she could manage. But Eren yanked at her hand and turned back to the soldiers again.

He was remembering now, the image of the large hand looming above the Walls, how the Fortress looked so fragile from that perspective, and somehow he knew it was the truth. It didn't matter to him if everyone was looking upon him as mad – in his eyes, that narrow, confined world around him was the one full of madness.

"You just keep praising the Walls, and underestimating 'them'. But what if 'they' are actually powerful enough to blow this whole Fortress to pieces with a single gust, as if it were made out of straw?" Eren told the rather astonished soldiers, not caring that he was shouting. "Until even a single one of 'them' remains out there, this thing you call 'peace' is nothing but illusion! If you prefer to sit on your asses rather than going out and fight 'them', so be it, but at least do your job and BE READY TO PROTECT THIS CITY!"

Having said his fair share, Eren finally followed Mikasa out of the busy square. The soldiers shook their heads, then returned to their drinks and games. Hannes scratched his head, heaving a great sigh as he looked down on Umimaru.

"Don't tell me... This kid's honestly thinking about joining the Explorers?"

* * *

Eren followed Mikasa into the dark alley, remaining in sullen silence as he looked at the girl's back. Greta's round eyes were looking down on him with a blank expression, but to Eren it appeared as if the creature were looking down on him. He made a face, then turned his head to the side.

"Eren," Mikasa suddenly spoke again, without turning back to face him. "You should stop saying such things."

"But I saw it..." Eren said in a barely audible mumble. "It can happen anytime."

"You know what becomes of those who talk like that," Mikasa replied, sounding just like his mother.

The loud, resounding voice of a preacher came from somewhere above, calling to the townspeople to worship the Walls, to offer praise and gratitude to the guardian spirits that protected humanity for a century now. Eren hated that constant reminder. And he was anything but grateful for the existence of the walls. Sometimes he wished they would just fall down. Then, humanity would have no other choice but to abandon their illusions, and face what lay in the Outside...

"They get banished," Mikasa finished in a grim voice. "And that's worse than death sentence."

"I don't think so," Eren retorted. "Rather than being banished, I'd go out there of my own will."

"You still haven't given up on joining them, have you?"

"At least they're real soldiers, not just a bunch of drunkards."

"Mother will be furious if she finds out."

"She doesn't have to know!" Eren snapped, quickening his pace to overtake his sister. "When I'm old enough, I can decide for myself, without needing her approval."

"You'll break her heart."

"I don't care," Eren replied, facing her once again, determination burning in his green eyes. "I won't live cooped up inside here like cattle!"

Mikasa opened her mouth to make a reply, but just then, the deep toll of a bell sounded, drowning out the preacher's words. The expression in Eren's eyes changed in an instant.

"They're back!" he said, excitement in his voice. "Humanity's heroes have returned!"

Eren turned back towards the town square and broke into a run, and Mikasa followed him, because she felt like if she were ever to lose sight of him, something bad would happen.

* * *

With a loud, grating sound, the gate opened, and the Explorers filed in, riding their horses in a slow gait. First, the carts were pulled in, the injured stretched out on them, both the humans and the creatures that fought by their sides. The number of the injured ones was low, but considering the shortness of that latest expedition, it still counted as something significant. At least, this time they had not lost any of their soldiers, although they did lose quite a number of their 'equipment', as some of the creatures they brought with them had to be sacrificed for the sake of humanity. But nobody counted their deaths as serious loss – after all, they were by purpose expendable. They could be replaced by hundreds of others, thanks to the advanced technology which allowed to breed an army of those mostly genderless creatures by creating an infinite number of clones. The process was still rather costly, but as long as the Explorers enjoyed the support of the government, they got all the resources to provide for the necessary equipment they needed.

That was how the military in general looked upon those creatures: nothing more than replaceable equipment. Creatures to follow orders. Creatures to be trampled underfoot. Creatures without names. But to the soldiers who often found their lives greatly dependent on them, those creatures had become over time more than mere tools: they proved to be reliable comrades, friends even, in the harsh environment of the Wilderness, the great open expanse of land lying beyond the Fortress.

The Explorers were greeted by loud cheers as a crowd began gathering on the streets where they proceeded. The mere thought of fighting Giants seemed to excite the minds of the people, although most of them gave little consideration to the real purpose of going outside and mapping out the unknown land. Since many of the citizens were content with their everyday lives, the stories about the feats of the Explorers were nothing more to them than distraction: they would enjoy the gruesome tales they brought with them about the monsters dwelling outside, knowing that they were safe from any harm inside the Walls. They would treat the Explorers as heroes, but would only look upon them as ones playing their roles in a tale, and even if they met a bad ending, people didn't care much. There was still many of them. Only their families mourned their deaths with honest tears.

"Moses?" An old, scrawny woman broke apart from the crowd, her eyes searching frantically the row of returning soldiers, her voice thin with despair. "Where's my son? Moses!"

The Commander, a man with a weary expression on his face, gestured towards one of the carts, and the woman rushed to its side, looking upon his son: injured, but alive. Tears of relief began pouring from her eyes.

"It's good to have a family to return to," a tall soldier with a thin beard and moustache remarked.

"It's really for the best not to have any," his comrade replied grimly. "At least when you die, you won't leave any sorrow behind."

"That's a strange way of thinking," the tall soldier said. "I'm sure there must be someone glad to see you back. The thing is, maybe you just don't know them yet."

The other soldier gave a sigh, spurring his horse on, quite eager to get inside and have the gate closed behind them. The two of them were bringing up the rear, but now that they had reached the thick of the crowd, the cheers and voices intensified, and all the attention suddenly directed towards him made the soldier feel even more frustrated.

"Erwin Smith, the Elite Soldier of the Explorers!" someone with a loud voice pointed him out, although he would have preferred to remain unnoticed.

"Seems like someone is quite famous around these parts," the tall soldier remarked with a smirk.

"I wish they wouldn't make such a big deal out of that title," Erwin said, draping his green cloak around himself in a way to conceal the medal he was made to wear during every single occasion when he appeared in front of the public. "It's really nothing more but empty formality."

"These peasants and tradesmen need their heroes," his comrade said lightly. "Play along, send them a couple of charming smiles, and even the nobles would eat out of your palms."

"You really think so?" Erwin asked, not very convinced. His eyes drifted across the sea of unfamiliar faces, until his gaze was caught by a pair of brightly shining green orbs, belonging to a young child he faintly remembered encountering before. Erwin heaved a sigh, facing steadily forward again. "In those eyes, I might be reflected as a hero, but it's only a fragile image. Once it were to shatter, how would I look like? An ordinary human, or a monster?"

"You really have a habit of pondering about strange things, but doesn't that mean you're actually concerned about losing your fame?"

"Fame is something I have no need of, and so I would give up on it anytime," Erwin replied with conviction. "The only thing worth retaining is glory. Not my own, but humanity's. That's the only reason I'm fighting for."

"Keep that fighting spirit until our next expedition," the tall soldier advised him with a laugh. "This time tomorrow, we will be in Hermiha, enjoying the festivities."

"We had to be summoned back because of this ridiculous celebration, even though we've been making good progress..." Erwin said, his hands gripping strongly at the reigns, his iron-clad beast sensing his mood and thrashing slightly under him, almost trampling the youth who approached him without his notice. He quickly checked his horse, bringing it to a halt, and looked down upon the child with the green eyes, appearing no more than ten years of age.

"Sir," the boy accosted him, a self-conscious blush on his cheeks, but his eyes shining with determination. "Welcome back."

With a shaky hand, the boy held out to him a single violet flower, and Erwin reached down to take it.

"You still like flowers, right, sir?" the boy asked, appearing flustered.

"Your memory is quite correct, Eren," Erwin replied with a genuine smile, not expecting the boy to remember their previous encounter.

Just then, a glum-looking little girl appeared from behind the boy, taking hold of the his cloak in an attempt to drag him away.

"Come, Eren. You shouldn't talk to strangers."

Erwin looked down on them with an unchanging expression, the girl's dark eyes locked onto his icy blue ones with hostility. Spurring his horse into motion again, he left the two children without a word. Those eyes had spoken clearly enough for him to understand: while the boy might continue to show interest in becoming one of the Explorers, his family would not let him go and face the perils of the Outside. He had come to accept that: people with families, people with connections to others, could not afford to put their lives on the line so easily. They had to think about the ones they left behind. As for himself, he didn't have to live with such concerns. His life was his own alone. His death nobody's sorrow.

Erwin looked down on the single flower in his hand, a grim expression darkening his features again. He squeezed his palm tight, feeling as if his heart had been squeezed, instead of the fragile flower. It was a painful reminder. He let the violet flower fall from his hand as he proceeded on with the other soldiers, iron hoofs trampling over it as the flower landed on the stone pavement.

He had long forgotten her name. He could not even recall her face. Only the eyes remained vivid in his memory – eyes he would never see again...

* * *

Mikasa dragged him along the back streets, away from the crowd of people. Rat-like creatures scurried close to the walls, disappearing in small cracks. Both Greta and Hans popped out their heads attentively, eager to pounce on them, but their attention was soon claimed by the act of their little mistress, who suddenly turned and pushed her weaker-looking human companion against a wall.

"Eren." Mikasa's eyes were far from being blank: a heated expression made them glow like charcoal as she held onto the front of the boy's shirt, speaking to him in a serious, commanding voice. "Forget about the Explorers. Forget about that soldier. They'd be all dead by the time you came of age to join the army."

Eren gasped, eyes wide in shock for those harsh words. The vision with the dolls resembling corpses floated back into his mind, but he shook his head to dissolve the image, and focused on his sister's burning eyes instead. Slowly, he brought up a hand to her own, clasping it in an attempt to free himself from her tight grasp.

"Stop saying things like that." His voice came out hoarse from shouting before, and for the tears he was still fighting back. Averting his face and looking at the ground, he noticed that the flowers had been scattered during their scuffle. "And I picked those flowers for Mom."

Mikasa's eyes softened, her grip loosening. She stepped back from him, letting Eren crouch down and gather up the now rather worn-looking flowers from the ground.

"I'll help you," Mikasa said, squatting down beside him. Their hands touched accidentally. The girl did not withdraw, but held onto his hand tenderly as she spoke, barely above a whisper, "I wish you'd talk to Father, and let him do a check-up on you. I really don't want to lose one of my family again..."

But her words only barely reached Eren's consciousness. His eyes were fixed on the small flower-heads hanging from the broken stems, their vivid colour reminding him of a pair of eyes – eyes that resembled ones he had seen not long before.

"His eyes... He has the same eyes..."

* * *

The two of them walked up the jagged stone steps leading to their home. As Eren opened the door, his mother greeted them with a warm smile on her face – something which would usually chase away his bad mood. Not today, though. Too many things happened that day, his mind was too full of concern, his heart too much filled with anger he could not really explain himself.

His mother, Carla, was cooking dinner, its delicious smell filling the room. His father, Grisha, was sitting at the table, spread with papers. Most of the time he would go out visiting patients, even travelling as far as the inner districts. But even during the rare occasions when he was home, he would be absorbed in work, carrying out some kind of research, assisted by his partner Hulda, a gentle-looking creature with big, oval blue eyes and a pink coat. Her stethoscope-like ears and healing ability made her an able assistant to the doctor.

The one giving the creature her name was Mikasa, who had a habit for coming up with names. She had been the one to bring Hans and Greta, the two grey kittens, into the family, but since only certified Monster Tamers were allowed to own such creatures, the children had to keep them secret, so the two of them always behaved more free indoors. They were playing some kind of game with involved poking each other with their tiny hands, but to Eren, it seemed that Greta was picking on Hans again – the only way for him to tell the two apart was when he saw how weak the male was compared to the female, and it would always remind him of how much stronger Mikasa was compared to himself. She had always been the one to bear the brunt of the chores, since Eren was often too sickly and weak. This time, too, Mikasa was the one who had collected most of the firewood that would keep them warm during the chilly autumn days.

Eren always felt that it was wrong, and he was ashamed for being such a weakling and having to rely on his sister all the time. Wishing Mikasa wouldn't tell his mother that he wasn't any help at all, Eren tried to appear small, but his behaviour didn't escape his mother's discerning eyes, whose attention was always focused upon her children.

"What beautiful flowers you have here!" Carla remarked as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel, and walked up to his son, pinching his ear playfully. "Did you pick them for a girl?"

"...It's for you," Eren said in a mumble. The flowers were torn and not even remotely as nice as the ones growing on the meadow, and he wasn't sure anymore whether he should give them to his mother, but she took them from his hand, looking as pleased as if those were the most beautiful things growing on earth.

"Thank you," Carla said, stooping down a bit to place a kiss on Eren's cheek, surprising him quite a bit.

"Stop doing that," Eren grumbled, wiping his face on his sleeve. "I'm not a kid anymore."

"You keep saying that, but nobody would believe you until you stopped acting like one," Mikasa told him, wearing that annoying expression which made her look almost like an adult.

"You just shut up, Mikasa," Eren snapped at her.

Carla laughed, then placed both hands on Eren's shoulders. He was prepared for a scolding, but the look didn't change in his mother's gentle brown eyes.

"Let me have a look at you, young man," she said, measuring him up from head to toe. "You have indeed grown. You seem taller than before."

Hearing that, Eren felt a small sense of pride welling up in him. Maybe it wouldn't take long for him to catch up to Mikasa, who was still a few centimetres ahead of him.

"But no matter how much you grow or how old you become, you would always remain my precious little child," Carla continued, giving him a tight hug, and pulling Mikasa in as well. "And you too, Mikasa."

Eren could see his sister's charcoal-black eyes glow with warmth, but then her expression changed, and before Eren could stop her, she spoke, "Mom... Eren wants to join the Explorers."

"I told you not to tell them!" Eren broke free from his mother's arms, glaring at Mikasa.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's out of question!" Carla grabbed Eren's shoulders once again, shaking him. Her voice was far from being the kind, gentle one it had been before, and Eren was prepared that he might get slapped. But he didn't care anymore. His mother looked angry enough to shake the living soul out of him, but she let go of him, making another attempt to close the issue once and for all, "I don't want to hear such foolishness from you ever again!"

She went back to the fireplace, while Mikasa walked to the cupboard, taking out bowls and plates. Greta sat on the counter, opening a drawer and counting out spoons and forks. Grisha gathered up his papers from the table and put them away, while Hulda brought a tablecloth, and they began laying the table. Only Eren remained standing rooted to the spot, with Hans at his feet. He thought he could bear people mocking him, making fun of his dream – but he just couldn't take it from his own family, without feeling broken.

'_Those who win, survive,'_ the small creature reminded him. _'But to win, you have to fight.'_

The flames made a soft crackle in the fireplace. Home always felt warm and safe. But not that day – not after how he saw it through 'their' eyes. That perspective changed everything: home was just a pen; humanity nothing more than cattle. They were all living in ignorance.

That evening, the soup felt cold and tasteless to him. Eren left the table without a word, and went to bed early, feeling tired in spite of having caught some sleep before. But it felt like such a long dream, as if he had lived a lifetime in that world.

He buried his head in his pillow, Hans snuggling up to his chest and purring softly.

"It won't be long until the dream ends..." Eren whispered before his eyes closed, and he was asleep again.

* * *

The embers burning in the fireplace dimly illuminated the room, casting shadows on the faces of the two adults who were sitting at the table in hushed conversation.

"There is no use being so hard on him, Carla," the doctor's gentle voice sounded above the cracking of firewood. "The boy's curiosity cannot be stopped, no matter what you say or do. Neither reason nor force can compete against the call, and it should only be natural for him to feel that way." He took hold of his wife's hand which rested on her lap, clenched into a tight fist. "We can both feel it, too, even after all those years."

Carla looked up at her husband, her expression conflicted.

"But the only place safe for us to live is within these walls," she said in an anxious whisper. "As long as 'they' keep on going out there, capturing and slaughtering without even making a difference-"

The doctor's eyes turned to the door, catching a pair of ones dark as charcoal, and another pair round and iridescent.

"Shouldn't you be in bed now, Mikasa?" he asked with the same, gentle tone. "Or is there something bothering your sleep?"

The doctor was beckoning to the girl to come and join them, and even Carla managed to give her a kind smile. Mikasa stepped over the threshold, feeling a bit guilty for being caught, and convinced that it was because of the way Greta's eyes would shine in the darkness. The small kitten followed her as she walked up to the doctor and his wife.

"I'm sorry," she apologized sheepishly, deciding to tell their parents anyway, "I'm just worried about Eren. He's having bad dreams again."

Carla gave a small gasp, but Grisha nodded understandingly, looking at Hulda, who had been sitting in front of the fireplace, but now was bringing the doctor's bag – the one he would always take with him when visiting a patient. Grisha opened it up and produced a small feather from it. It had the shape of the crescent moon, and was glowing softly in the darkness.

"Give this to him," the doctor said as he placed the feather onto Mikasa's palm. "This is the feather of the one who chases away bad dreams."

Mikasa thanked him, then wished them a good night again, gathering up Greta, who was standing at Carla's feet, looking up at the woman intently, only she didn't notice the small creature, for her face was turned towards the fire, the dancing flames painting shadows on her face, deepening the look of worry on her expression. Before leaving the room, Mikasa turned to the doctor once again.

"Are those tales really true?" she asked in a small voice. "About the children lost in their sleep?"

Grisha gave her a reassuring smile, before he replied, "You don't have to be afraid of such tales coming true."

Mikasa really wished that it was the truth – that there was nothing to worry about, nothing to be afraid of in the dark. Before going to bed, she snuck into Eren's room, and placed the glowing feather under his pillow.

"I won't lose you..." she whispered, kissing the sleeping boy softly on the forehead.


	3. Carnival

**Fateful Encounter in the Carnival Crowd**

**Erwin Smith vs. Masked Maiden 'Ravenette'**

_The year was 845. That day would always be remembered…_

The air was full of music and merriment in the town of Hermiha, celebrating the hundred years of peace and prosperity behind the walls of the Fortress.

Yet, in spite of being surrounded by a laughing, colourful crowd, he couldn't help feeling ill at ease. He wasn't really the one to believe in superstition, but earlier during his ride towards the town, he had caught a glimpse of the creature regarded as a sign of bad omen. He couldn't forget its figure standing out white against the deep green of the forest, its sharp scythe flashing in the scattered light that filtered through the dense foliage.

Those intent red eyes served as a grim reminder that beyond the safety of the Fortress walls, there lay a world where terrible, monstrous creatures dwelled. A world both beautiful and dangerous, a place where he would return again and again, since those who had once tasted true freedom couldn't be content by mere illusions anymore. And he harboured a long-standing suspicion that the safety of their everyday lives within the Fortress was nothing more than a fragile illusion that would be broken through one day. Like the carnival itself, where everything was fake: young people were hiding their faces behind colourful masks, a traveling circus promised shows of magic, young girls were strolling around in their best, frilly dresses, their faces painted like a mask, too.

"You should take it easy, Erwin, and enjoy the celebration," his Commander told him, giving him a pat on the back before shoving a mug of foamy beer into his hand, which he accepted rather reluctantly. "Go and ask a nice lassie for a dance! It's an order!" the Commander said with a good-humoured laugh before disappearing into the colourful crowd.

"Who would obey such an order," Erwin said with a smile. Golden-brown droplets fell to his hand from the mug full of beer, dripping down to his feet, where a small creature stood close by, observing him with a sharp, disapproving gaze. "What do you think, Scharf?" he asked his small companion, to which the creature flashed his blades at him. "I agree," he said with another smile. "We're better suited to fight than to dance."

"You never know until you try," his friend said, suddenly appearing by his side with his companion, a dog-like creature with sandy brown fur. "Want me to sniff out a suitable partner for you?"

"Thank you, Mike," Erwin said, laughing a bit and eyeing his beer rather uncertainly. "It's not that I don't trust your sense of smell, but rather, I don't trust my skills to dance. I really don't want to embarrass myself in front of such beautiful young ladies."

Just as he said that, a group of girls went past, giggling and blushing. It was a rare occasion to see the soldiers of the Explorers in the Verity District, and the curiosity of the young girls of the inner districts was easily piqued by the uniformed soldiers and their fairy-tales of the outside world.

"It's such a waste of good opportunity," Mike told him. "My nose tells me that there's a particularly pleasant-smelling young maiden over there, in front of the magician's tent, waiting just for you."

Out of curiosity, Erwin threw a glance to where his friend had indicated, and indeed he could see a girl there, dressed in a harlequin costume of black and white, her face disguised by a mask ornamented with feathers of the same colours.

"Shouldn't we check their licence instead?" Erwin suggested rather uncertainly.

"Leave that to the Police, Erwin," Mike told him with a laugh, then went on encouraging, "We are here to have some fun until we're heading to the outside again. She doesn't seem to have fun, either. Go and ask her!"

"She's with the travelling circus. I doubt she has the time," Erwin said, tearing his eyes with some difficulty from the girl's small figure.

"A challenge, Erwin," Mike told him in a serious tone, intent on convincing his friend. "A test of courage. A task fit for a soldier."

Erwin let out a resigned sigh. Even though he couldn't fully agree with that last part, he couldn't turn down a challenge, even if it was bound to be something embarrassing. He handed his beer to Mike, and wiped his hand on his uniform pants before setting out with deliberate strides towards the girl, his small companion following close at his heels.

However, once he managed to push his way past the crowd and arrived in front of the tent, his resolve seemed to have weakened. His steps became uncertain as he approached the girl, who was handing out leaflets for the show, evidently more occupied by her work than to have time to spare for a soldier.

"A nice day we have, young miss," he accosted the girl, feeling awkward even as the words left his mouth. But when he met the pair of sharp, silvery eyes looking back at him from the slit of the mask, he felt downright mortified.

"A nice day indeed, Mr Blondie," the girl returned, only sparing him that one, stabbing glance, before turning back to her work.

"I wonder whether you care for a dance," Erwin ventured to ask, not wanting to return to his friend without even giving it a try. The answer he half-hoped, half-feared, came in an instant.

"I don't," the girl said in a cold voice, turning her small back and ignoring him.

That was it, then. He was about to return to where Mike was standing near a stall, but just then, a red-haired girl dressed in a crimson-and-black harlequin costume burst out from the magician's tent. Even though most of her face was covered with a mask, she was evidently angry, and the sparks in her deep sapphire eyes could make even a soldier retreat.

"Why can't I hear your voice, Ravenette?" the girl demanded. "And that's your way of treating our precious guests, scaring them away like that? Shame on you! Wait until the Director finds out, and we're both whipped! Go, make yourself useful!" She gave a rough push to the other girl, taking the leaflets from her hands and beginning to invite the people in with a loud voice.

"You're such a slave-driver, Corneille," the girl called Ravenette grumbled, catching up with the soldier and following him to the stall with the apples, where another soldier was standing with a mug of beer in his hand and a sandy brown dog sitting at his feet. Erwin looked back at the girl with a puzzled expression.

"I'm free now," the girl told him bluntly, taking a sip from the beer his friend kept for him, then wiping her thin lips on a clean white handkerchief. "Does your offer still stand? About the dance?"

Erwin allowed himself a genuine smile as he saw the silvery eyes soften, wondering whether the mask was hiding a blushing face, and not yet suspecting that all that was only an illusion.

"It's my pleasure," he said, taking the delicate hand of the girl into his own and leading her to where the music was playing in the middle of the town square. He wasn't a noted dancer, yet he found himself enjoying the dance, if only for the sight of the graceful movements of his partner, her long, silky raven-black hair flying out behind her like a wing.

"Can't you call your creature back, please?" the girl told him after a while, her voice more commanding than her words. "I keep slicing my ankles on its sharp blades."

"Certainly," Erwin replied, reaching for the small orb on his belt to call his partner back. Scharf looked back at him with a sharp, defiant gaze. "I'm sorry, but I must insist," Erwin said, commanding the creature to return. But before he was engulfed by the reddish light, the creature shot the girl a last, suspicious glare.

"I must apologize," Erwin said, turning back to the girl and taking her hand once again, returning to their dance. "I'm so used to having him by my side that I often forget how… inconvenient it might be to others."

"Yes, well, I have to admit that the hilts of your swords poking into my ribs _is_ rather inconvenient," the girl said in a drawl, attempting to shift closer to him as they danced. "You are a difficult one to approach."

"I'm sorry, I can't call them back," Erwin told her with a nervous laugh. "I can never know when I might need them."

"I understand," the girl said, her voice not betraying any sympathy, and then questioning him further, "And those plates on your back? Aren't they heavy to carry around?"

"Not at all," Erwin replied, although they were actually heavier than what a man could carry around comfortably. But he did not want to bore his dance-partner with the methods of how to make equipment light-weight, so he only said as a way of explanation of their function, "They have the ability to levitate, allowing us to remain in the air, and they also serve as shield from attacks."

"So, this is what they call…" The girl's voice trailed off rather uncertainly, and he noticed that the pair of silvery eyes was turned up on him expectantly.

"The 3D manoeuvre gear," Erwin told her, quite pleased by the girl's curiosity. "Are you interested in how it works?"

The girl nodded in reply, and Erwin smiled on her, beginning to explain the function of the various parts and monsters.

"As part of our equipment, we also use smaller grass-type monsters, for-"

"For sending out the vines, to control the movement," the girl finished for him.

Erwin looked back at her a bit surprised, before making a compliment, "You seem to know a lot."

"I'm just an ordinary girl who likes to talk to soldiers." Her eyes flickered just for a second behind his back before meeting the soldier's icy blue gaze again. "It must be tough to be a soldier at the Explorers."

Erwin gave a small laugh before replying in an earnest voice, "It was my choice. And I can't say I regret it."

"But why would a handsome young man, who surely possesses great skills in taming monsters, would choose to join the ranks of the Explorers, instead of applying for acceptance into the Police?" the girl inquired. "Why not choose a life blessed with all the privileges our good King grants to his most loyal servants?"

Erwin did not miss the hint of sarcasm in her voice, which made him bold enough to speak his mind, "That is, my fair maiden, because I prefer to serve humanity, rather than one man alone."

"How right you are," the girl said in a voice somewhat approving as she threw a fleeting, condescending glance towards a group of drunken soldiers, wearing the pompous uniform of the King's Guard. "Those Police soldiers are like dogs on a leash. They don't have their own will."

Erwin gave a faint smile. It was strange to hear those words from the mouth of a circus entertainer. His discerning eyes did not miss the heavy iron bands around the girl's slender wrists – the marks of a slave. It was also one of the hidden realities of the world they lived in: while not talked about openly, it wasn't only the creatures that were treated as objects, but the poor people of the outer districts were often sold off to the rich merchants or the nobles, to work as slaves until they could buy their freedom. Yet, he chose to ignore the fact conveyed by those iron bands, not wanting to shatter the fragile illusion.

"Is it all true?" the girl suddenly asked in a voice that sounded serious. "That we live in a world of false contentment, while outside the Fortress, a legion of huge monsters is waiting until we're fattened enough and ready to be devoured?"

Erwin narrowed his eyes on her slightly. "For a mere circus-girl, you ask quite strange questions, don't you think?"

"I'm only curious about what's really going on," the girl told him with a slight shrug of her delicate shoulders.

"I see. Curiosity is a dangerous trait, but I have to admit that seeking for truth has its appeal, even if the road leading to reality is paved with…" Dead bodies. He found he couldn't say that in front of the girl.

"So it's true, then, that all this farce is only for hiding the cruel reality," the girl concluded, as if reading his thoughts, then put another question, "Honestly, what do you think? Is the real enemy outside the walls, or is it inside?"

"You shouldn't ask such questions," Erwin said, dropping his voice, but the girl only laughed. No-one could hear them in the noisy crowd and the loud music filling the air. Erwin found he quite liked the girl, even though he never had a chance to see her face.

And the girl recognised the look melting in the cold blue eyes, the sign that told her that it was her chance to move. She leaned in closer to steal a kiss, her hands ready to perform the motion she was now expert of, but before she could execute her plan, she found her wrist grabbed in a tight grip, the look in the icy blue eyes hardening as she kept on staring into them intently.

"And no ordinary girl, even a slave, would steal from a soldier, right?" Erwin said in a low voice.

She found herself laughing in spite of the sharp pain in her wrist. That was the first time she had ever failed. The first time she had ever got caught red-handed. Yet, she didn't despair, for she had a partner of her own to get her out of the bind.

Erwin suddenly felt something hitting the back of his head, and the split second while he was taken by surprise was enough to let the girl escape from his grasp, and before he knew it, he was kicked in the shin, and robbed of one of his swords.

She pushed her way through the crowd, her small figure allowing her an easier escape. She ran towards a narrow alley, followed by her trustworthy partner-in-crime, a black creature with vicious red eyes.

"Good job, Noir," she praised the small creature with the sharp claws as they arrived into the alley, safely out of sight. "Still, I feel bad for that blondie. He was such a good dancer." As she kept her eyes on her partner, she didn't notice the obstacle suddenly blocking her way, and she bumped into a broad chest. She quickly reached with one hand to readjust her mask before staring up into icy blue eyes, the look in them definitely freezing cold.

"If you have regrets, how about I invite you to a _Swords Dance _this time?" Erwin said, drawing out his remaining weapon.

"You dare to challenge an innocent young maiden? How unsoldierly," the girl complained, feigning indignation.

"Drop the farce," Erwin said in a sharp, commanding tone. "You are no ordinary maiden, and I am no fool to fall for such a trick."

"Fine," the girl replied, reaching for the hilt of the sword her partner held out to her. "I accept your invitation. Let's dance!" Even as she said that, she could feel the blue cloth hanging from the hilt wrapping tightly around her arm. The swords clashed with a metallic clang, sending sparks in every direction.

There had been numerous occasions when she held a sword in her hand, but those were all fake ones used for the magic show in the circus. This was her first time wielding such a living weapon. The Explorer soldiers used creatures made of steel and surrounded by a ghastly aura in order to fight the enemy outside the Fortress. They were more difficult to wield than ordinary swords, since they possessed a will of their own, a will which in untrained hands could quickly go out of control.

She soon had to face the fact that she was at a huge disadvantage against the experienced soldier. Yet, she wasn't one to give up easily, and she was quick to learn and master the way of treating those mystical creatures. It was a chance for her to learn more, even if the duel was to end in her defeat.

"_Shadow Sneak_," her opponent called, and she found herself hit from the back, but even as she spun around in an instant, she could see nothing behind her back.

"Sorry, that was underhanded," Erwin apologized from the girl. "I was merely curious how much you know about battle commands."

"Teach me," the girl replied, dealing him a mighty blow which belied her small stature and fragile looks, and before Erwin could recover from his surprise, she quickly repeated the same battle command, "_Shadow Sneak_."

"You would make a fine soldier, I have to admit that," Erwin praised, deliberately holding back his creature's true powers in order to see how much his opponent was capable of. From his early training, he remembered well that it took an enormous effort to focus on wielding even one of those sword-creatures. Yet, the girl didn't show the slightest sigh of fatigue.

"Thanks, but I'd rather pass," the girl replied, spinning around swiftly to gain momentum for her next slicing attack.

"You might be right to refuse," Erwin told her, evading her rapid attacks. "It would be such a shame, having to cut your beautiful black hair, Ravenette."

"What was that, a compliment?" the girl said with a scornful laugh, then turning serious again, "You raised your weapon against the property of another. You are aware that such breach of the law calls for severe punishment, don't you."

"And you must be are aware, my fair maiden, that stealing is an heinous crime, and I don't care whether you're free or slave, I'll have my retribution. It's an eye for an eye," Erwin told her, being more than aware that what he was just doing went against the law in more ways than he cared to count at the moment. He was supposed to restrain his opponent, and give her over to the Police, not playing with her the way he did, and on top of all than, enjoying their fight more than their previous dance.

But as they were absorbed in the sword-fight, the two of them gradually began to show their true colours.

"Then we shall both be thrown to prison," the girl said, her tone not betraying any concern about such a possibility.

"Or worse, be executed," Erwin told her half-seriously.

"Not if we behead the King and slay his puppies first," the girl suggested boldly, and he wasn't sure whether those dangerous words were told in earnest, or only served to throw him off guard.

Noir, the girl's companion, was in the meantime perched on the edge of a windowsill, following the fight with keen eyes.

'_Master seems to enjoy this battle_,' the creature observed with a smirk. "_We like to play with our prey. But sooner or later, the big guy's head is gonna roll for sure._'

"If you were to become the new King, would you make me your Queen?" The silvery eyes looked up at him with that deceptively softened look, but Erwin kept himself fully focused on their fight.

"I never enter into a bargain until I know what exactly I get in exchange. What are you hiding under your mask?" Erwin questioned, aiming to slice away the mask covering part of the girl's face. "What are you hiding under your skirt?"

"Care to find out?" the girl asked with a coquettish smile.

"I'm dying to know," Erwin replied with a smirk, for a moment letting her have the upper hand, and sure enough, he soon found his back hitting against the brick wall, cornered by his opponent.

"Those might just be your last words, blondie," she told him as their swords strained against each other.

"We shall see," Erwin said, deciding that it was enough playing games. "_Shadow-_"

"No, you won't," the girl interrupted, jumping back from him, then returning with rapid attacks slicing through the air.

"_Aerial-_" Erwin began the command to finish the battle off, but just at that moment, he noticed the thin column of black smoke rising up in the sky, and while he was occupied with taking in the sight, the point of a blade was pressed to his throat.

"I guess it's my victory," the girl announced, her thin lips curving into a triumphant smile.

He looked back at the silvery eyes, which appeared to him sharper than any blades.

"Thank you for the dance," the girl said, lowering the sword and walking up closer to him.

Noir gave a disappointed sigh from above. '_Should've smashed his brains out before,_' he remarked maliciously. '_Humans are such merciful fools. Even Master…_'

"I… have to go now," Erwin said, struck by a strange feeling of uneasiness. He recalled the sight of the white creature with the black scythe, the harbinger of disaster. Those ruby-red eyes were trying to warn him not to let his guard down. He wasn't supposed to forget, even for a day, even for a fleeting moment of illusion, that he was a soldier.

"Hey," the girl called after him, rushing past and blocking his way out of the narrow alley. "I won't let you go until I stole from you what I originally intended to steal."

Before Erwin knew it, the girl brought both her strong arms around his neck, so that he could feel the cold iron against his skin as she pulled him down and pressed her lips against his own. But even as they got so close, his mind failed to register the fresh scent of lavenders on the girl. He was too distracted to react to this new development. All he could think of was the black smoke in the sky. A bad omen. And he had to go…

* * *

He tossed his mask carelessly down on the heap of various props and masquerade, letting out a tired, disappointed sigh.

"Such a good dancer, but a shitty kisser," he said, flopping down on the heap of costumes.

'_You should've beheaded him while you still had the chance, you know,_' Noir remarked, sharpening his claws. '_If you liked his handsome face that much, you could've kept it in a jar._'

If he could have understood the language of his partner, he would have laughed at such a suggestion. But there was no occasion for laughter, not just yet. He was aware that the worst part of the day was yet to come, when he would have to face his angry boss. His owner, and his whip. He wondered whether the Director noticed that he completely missed the show.

"There you are, you lazy slacker!" the girl with the crimson-red hair said, storming into the small storage room, scolding him as usual. He found himself wondering where she had picked up such insufferable manners. "Did you have any luck with the soldiers?"

"Sort of," he replied evasively, eyeing the sword in his hand. The single booty he had brought back, and the girl observed it right away.

"Did you manage to steal anything else beside that useless sword?" she demanded.

"Yeah," he said, carefully touching the blade, probing the sharpness of the edge and feeling the creature quiver slightly in his hand.

"And what?" the girl asked, looking around, without seeing anything more.

"A kiss," he replied, to which the girl only rolled her eyes in clear exasperation. "But it's useless, because I couldn't steal the heart."

"Raven," the crimson-haired girl began with a sigh, "are you only interested in hearts you can obtain by no other means than stealing?"

"Where's the fun if it's offered on a silver plate?" he told her in a bored voice.

"Well, you can at least take the silver plate, and sell it off for good money," the girl huffed, trying to hide her blushes behind a mask of indignation.

Raven laughed at her idea and obvious behaviour. "Always particular about money, aren't you, Crow," he remarked, an amused smile playing on his thin lips. "I bet you made a fortune today."

"A hundred times more than you did, you useless daydreamer," the girl burst out.

He had to admit to himself that there was some truth in the girl's harsh words. Maybe he was nothing more than a useless daydreamer, building castles in the air. The day had been full of opportunities he had missed, because he had been so tangled up in extracting information from one single soldier, which he had done solely for his own purposes.

No, he corrected himself. He was doing it for _their_ own purposes. For that noisy red-haired girl and the whole menagerie of strange creatures that shared the same fate with the two of them, being nothing more than tools of entertainment. And the thing in his hand might have just been the key to their freedom. The conversation with the soldier did put some bold ideas into his head.

"Money won't buy our freedom, only the will to fight," he said, as if reciting from one of their acts they usually performed, only those words were dangerous ones, never to be spoken in front of the public. "Kill the oppressor and claim your just reward."

"Are you out of your mind, Riva-" the girl began with an astonished look, before he pointed the sword straight at her heart.

"Don't call me that. It's Raven, remember?" he told her with a sharp voice and stabbing glance. The girl gave a small, timid nod. "Can you trust me in this?"

"Yes," the girl replied right away. "The only one I can trust in this world is you."

"Good," he said in a softened voice, lowering the sword and turning it around a couple of times in his hand, before placing it back into its scabbard. "Now, take good care of this one. Hide it well."

Crow took the creature from his hand, and watched him walk out of the small storage room.

The sky was beginning to get darker when he went outside again. Even with the Explorers gone, the merriment on the streets never abated. Music and boisterous voices filled the night air.

Raven climbed to the top of a roof, looking down on the dim lights of the prosperous city with a contemptuous gaze, before raising his eyes to look towards the distant horizon, taking in the sight of their confined word, marked by the high, looming walls.

"I wonder whether such a man even has a heart to give away," he remarked in a low voice, recalling what he had discerned from the encounter with the soldier.

'We threw that away long ago, right?' his companion said, without a hint of regret.

Raven gave a faint scoff. Living a life so dangerous, when there was no certainty of a tomorrow to come, what use there was to have a feeling heart, anyway? Maybe in that respect, the two of them were the same. Maybe they were alike in more than he could see at that time. Somehow, he felt like he wanted to find out.

He turned around to face southwards. The night sky seemed different in that direction. Tainted. That was his impression as he looked on, before returning his gaze to his trustworthy companion. The creature's small figure had already merged into the darkness, but his red eyes flashed sharply. Raven allowed himself a genuine laugh as he scratched Noir behind the ear.

"Whether the slave of a filthy rich merchant, or the lapdog of the King, or a willing sacrifice to humanity, in the end, all that matters is our own freedom."


	4. Bargain

**A Fairly Dubious Bargain**

**Shopkeeper Hanji vs. A Soldier in Great Hurry**

Hanji was organizing the goods on the crammed shelves of her small supply shop, standing on a tall ladder while her companion, a small creature with reddish patches on her cream-coloured fur, looked up at her anxiously.

"It's all right, Spinney, we're almost done here, and then we can go to the fair," she told her companion with a wide smile, in anticipation of the delicious pastries and the good beer served on such an occasion. Spinney seemed to be excited about the fair, too. She kept on skipping from one leg to another, waving her short arms at her.

"Oh, you would like to dance, too," Hanji observed with another wide grin. "But stop doing this, you're making me dizzy up here, ho-ho." She gave a hearty laugh, and the ladder under her began to sway dangerously.

Just then, she could hear small bells tinkling as the shop door was burst open, and a soldier wearing the Explorers' uniform stormed in, completely disregarding the 'Closed' sign. But soldiers were always a troublesome lot, even on a day of celebration.

"Erwin! Long time no see!" Hanji said in pleasant surprise as she recognized the young man walking up to the counter. She immediately began descending from the ladder to welcome her unexpected customer.

"Long time, indeed," the soldier said gruffly, continuing in a dead serious voice, "I need your help, Hanji. Give me all the Rare Candies you've got, or if you have any stronger stuff. I'm in a hurry." Saying that, Erwin placed a bag full of gold on top of the counter, and Hanji looked back at him suspiciously.

"You know well that I can't sell such things in such an amount, not even to _you_," Hanji said, waving a scolding finger at him, while her companion tried to imitate her gesture with one, stubby arm.

"I don't think it should matter to _you_ in a crisis like this," Erwin told her with a sharp glance. "I need _two_ swords, and I need them right now."

"I'm no blacksmith, just a humble shopkeeper," Hanji said innocently.

"You know what I mean," Erwin said pointedly, placing his single blade on top of the counter. "I need you to evolve this creature."

"What happened to the other one?" Hanji inquired, tilting her head, her companion following her example.

"I was robbed," Erwin replied curtly, drumming his fingers impatiently on the counter. The strange expression on his face did not escape Hanji's discerning eyes.

"Erwin, are you a bit drunk, or why is your face so red?" she asked bluntly, sensing that her friend's behaviour was rather strange and flustered. "Could it be that…?"

"None of your business," the soldier replied, averting his icy blue eyes from her prying gaze.

"A boring answer from a boring man, right, Spinney?" Hanji said with a dismissive sigh, reaching to pull out a strange device from behind the counter while her companion teetered to the back of the shop.

"Just hurry up, will you," Erwin urged.

"It's dangerous, you know, forcing a creature to evolve," Hanji told him in a serious voice.

"I know," Erwin sighed, burying his face momentarily in his palms, "but I have no other choice."

"Is it fully trained?" she inquired.

"I'm no amateur, Hanji," the soldier snapped at her. "Will the money suffice, or won't. Let's not waste each other's precious time."

"I'm afraid I can't accept your money," Hanji said as she pushed the bag of gold away to make room for her device, which she began to attach to the rather reluctant sword-creature on the counter. "What I ask in exchange for my services is something of much _greater_ value," she told him meaningfully.

"Hanji, I can't," Erwin replied promptly, clearly exasperated by her request. It was an issue they had been debating since forever – or at least ever since the soldier had first set foot to the outside world, and encountered the giant monsters. "It's not only dangerous, but more importantly, it's against the law," he pointed it out to her, for the hundredth time.

"I don't think it should matter to you in a crisis like this," Hanji repeated his earlier words, taking advantage of the situation. She could see that her friend was in dire need, and she needed something very badly, too. It was a great opportunity for her to strike up a good bargain, so she did not hesitate to say, "All I'm asking of you is to bring me one tiny little giant creature. A deviant, preferably."

"You do realize that we're the deviants here, bargaining over highly illegal stuff like that," Erwin said, eyeing warily as Hanji finished adjusting the device on his sword-creature. "You're asking me to risk my head for the sake of your crazy research."

"Yup, exactly," Hanji replied without showing the least concern about it. Meanwhile, her helpful companion came back with a large box filled with round candies neatly wrapped in blue paper.

"Well, I guess I've already lost my head over that…" Erwin mumbled, his voice trailing off.

"You do make me wonder about why are you so agitated," Hanji remarked curiously.

"I saw the creature of doom," Erwin said evasively, not wanting to recall what had happened in that narrow alley back in the town of Trost.

"Wow, and what was the creature like?" Hanji questioned him excitedly.

"Ominous."

"Oooh, so it's something serious," the young woman observed.

"It is," Erwin told her with a sigh, then said sharply, "But more importantly, get down to work."

Hanji took a handful of Rare Candies from the box and spread them on the counter, picking up one and unwrapping it, then trying to pop it into the creature's mouth. That was when she realized that she had a small problem.

"Help me, Erwin, I don't even know where the mouth is!" she laughed while she was fumbling around the protesting creature.

"And you're supposed to be a monster scientist," Erwin said with a roll of his eyes, placing a soothing hand on the hilt of the sword and taking the candy from Hanji's hand.

"I'm only a trainee scientist," the woman told him with a wide, enthusiastic grin.

"You must be a handful for Professor Jäger," Erwin remarked, pushing the candy into the creature's mouth. He could feel the sword shudder under his hand, accompanied by a light that spread through its body.

Hanji went back to checking the device attached to the creature as Erwin kept on repeating the treatment. Spinney climbed on top of the counter to assist with unwrapping the candies, while a pair of sharp amber eyes looked on the scene disapprovingly.

"Leave the moveset," Erwin told Hanji, taking a candy Spinney was just about to pop into her own mouth. The small creature looked back at the tall soldier quite disappointedly but he was more occupied by the task at hand to give her any regard. "I don't have time for training new battle commands."

"Are you sure?" the trainee scientist asked, her eyes scanning the screen of the device. "I can see awesome potentials in here, just a few Rare Candies away from the target level. How about feeding it a dozen or so more?"

The sword-creature shuddered in protest.

"We will make the adjustments later. Let's just do the level-up thing until it evolves," Erwin told her.

The creature was now engulfed in a harsh light, its body appearing to split in two. When the light died down, there lay two swords on the counter instead of one. The cloth floating from the hilt also changed to a purple colour.

"Congratulations! Your Honedge evolved into Doublade!" Hanji announced, to which Erwin heaved a relieved sigh.

"There is one thing I still have to know," he began as he examined his evolved creature, "Which one is it? The one with the move _Pursuit_, or the one with _Fury Cutter_?"

"Don't tell me you can't even tell your own swords apart!" Hanji told him in a voice half scolding, half mocking.

"I have a good guess, but I just have to make sure."

"It's the one – or rather, now two – which knows _Pursuit_," Hanji replied, after consulting her device once again.

"I guess that's exactly what I'm going to do to that thief," Erwin said contemplatively, looking at his companion, who flashed his blades at him in agreement.

'_You never listen_,' Scharf remarked reproachfully. '_You met your doom._'

"Who are you talking about exactly?" Hanji asked, her curiosity piqued by the mysterious person Erwin kept on mentioning.

'_Who is he talking about exactly?_' Spinney asked, tilting her head in confusion.

'_That girl in the fair,_' Scharf replied crossly. '_And not fair at all._'

"I wish I knew," Erwin said with a sigh, then reconsidered, "Or rather, I don't. All I know is that I've been a fool, and if this mission wouldn't kill me, then I'd sure die of shame."

"Erwin, is there something you're not telling me?" Hanji asked, sensing that there were a couple of things on his friend's mind.

'_Is there something he's not telling her?_' Spinney repeated.

'_Trouble,_' Scharf replied enigmatically. '_Make it double._'

"The wall has been breached, Hanji," Erwin finally revealed, even though he was ordered not to talk about it, in order to avoid panic spreading among the public. But it couldn't be helped. It was reality, and his friend had a right to know about that. "Monsters are coming in through the Southern Gate as we speak. I really don't have the time for idle chit-chat now. I'll tell you all about that later, if I still live to tell."

"Oh, so it's serious business."

"It is, so I'm afraid we have to cut this bargain short. Let a quick duel decide. If I win, you accept my money. If I lose, I keep my money, and remain in your debt until I bring you what you've asked."

"Deal," Hanji agreed, knowing well that she could trust the word of her friend.

"Right," Erwin nodded. "One round, no cheating. Ready?"

"Whenever you are," Hanji replied, rolling up her sleeves.

They played a round of rock-paper-scissors, and luck seemed to be by her side. She grinned widely at her dismayed friend.

"That's scissors, Erwin, and I have a rock here!" Hanji announced triumphantly. "I sooo knew you'd come up with that, since you seem to have a thing for sharp objects!"

"Damn you, Hanji," Erwin cursed. "This day has been nothing but bad luck for me."

"Have a safe return, and don't forget to bring me the price, or you shall be my slave for a lifetime!" Hanji reminded him.

As the shop door closed behind the hastily retreating figure of the soldier, his earlier words slowly began to sink in.

"The Southern Gate, he said," Hanji mused, leaning on the counter. Sudden realisation flashed in her mind, and she turned to Spinney anxiously. "Oh! Oh, that's bad! That's Shiganshina, right? I have to tell the Professor!"

She took up a pencil and hastily scribbled a few lines on a piece of scrap paper, then hurried to the window, and threw it open, craning her neck towards the roof, where an owl-like creature was perching on one leg, fast asleep. Climbing the roof, she raised the bird and tied the letter to its leg, sending it away with her message in the direction of the innermost district.

Hanji turned her worried gaze to the south. Dense clouds tainted the sky, rising high above the wall.

"Could it be… a sandstorm?"


End file.
